Association of bronchopulmonary sequestration with expression of the homeobox protein Hoxb-5

Bronchopulmonary sequestration (BPS) is caused by the abnormal development of an accessory lung diverticulum from the foregut very early in embryogene sis. The developmental abnormalities seen with BPS suggest that this anomal y is caused by abnormal expression of homeobox genes, which control axial i dentity and organ-specific patterning during embryogenesis. The authors pre viously have shown that the homeobox gene Hoxb-5 is necessary for normal ai rway branching during lung development. The authors now report that BPS is associated with aberrant developmental expression of Hoxb-5 protein, sugges ting that this Hox gene is involved in the development of BPS. J Pediatr Su rg 35:1817-1819. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.